Snowthrowers are known having upright chutes through which a snow stream is thrown. The chute can be rotated on the snowthrower from one side to the other to direct where the snow stream is deposited laterally relative to the snowthrower. Typically, this is done by a manually operated crank which turns the chute through a worm gear engaging a toothed ring on the bottom of the chute. Many turns of the crank are required to turn the chute completely from one side to the other. This can be tiring and inconvenient to do particularly where one must redirect the snow stream frequently as when going back and forth on a driveway or the like.
Most snowthrowers having rotatable chutes also usually have a pivotal deflector on the top of the chute. The angle of inclination of the deflector on the chute controls the trajectory of the snow stream. The deflector is usually formed with an integral handle. The user can grab the handle to manually move the deflector to an adjusted position. The friction between the deflector and the chute is strong enough to retain the deflector in an adjusted position.
The user must be able to reach the handle on the deflector in order to adjust the deflector. This usually requires the user to come around from the usual operating position behind the handle of the snowthrower to one side of the snowthrower in order to be adjacent to the deflector to be able to reach the handle on the deflector. Again, the need to walk around from behind the handle every time one wishes to adjust the deflector is inconvenient and annoying to many users. As a result, the deflector may not be adjusted by the user even though it would be desirable to raise or lower the trajectory of the snow stream.
Some snowthrowers have been proposed which use a single joystick type control handle to control both the chute and the deflector. This control handle can be operated while the user is standing behind the handle assembly of the snowthrower. This is somewhat more convenient than when separate controls are provided for the chute and the deflector. It is also more convenient in the sense that the deflector can be adjusted without having to leave the usual operator's position behind the handle.
However, in known joystick designs of this type, the joystick operates the chute and deflector through separate electric motors. One motor is used to operate the chute and the other motor is used to operate the deflector. Obviously, this requires that the snowthrower carry two separate electric motors, thereby raising the cost to manufacture and sell the snowthrower. In addition, since snowthrowers are often operated and stored in extremely cold conditions, electric motors are not as durable as is desired. Japanese Patent Application 2-190505 discloses such a joystick control operating two electric motors for rotating the chute and pivoting the deflector.
A simpler,less expensive and durable control for quickly and easily operating the chute and deflector on a snowthrower is needed in the snowthrower art.